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Desolas Arterius
Desolas Arterius is a turian general who served during the First Contact War, and Saren Arterius' brother. __TOC__ Shanxi During the First Contact War in 2157, General Desolas is tasked with a secret assignment on Shanxi: a turian research vessel has crash-landed on Shanxi with an important artifact aboard, and Desolas must recover it. Desolas leads a squad into an abandoned human settlement on Shanxi while searching for the crashed ship, where he is ambushed by the human mercenaries Jack Harper, Ben Hislop, and Eva. Desolas' squad is killed and Desolas himself is taken prisoner. The mercs use a datapad Desolas had with him to locate a turian camp. Harper uses a fake message from Desolas to lure the turians into a trap. When the mercs find the cave where the artifact that the turians were looking for has been hidden, Harper and Hislop investigate while Eva guards their turian prisoners. After fending off guardians, Hislop touches the artifact and is struck by a bolt of energy and Harper is blinded. Outside the cave, Eva is distracted by the strange lights, allowing the turians to overpower her. Back in charge, Desolas takes Eva and Harper prisoner, and orders his soldiers to take Hislop's body away for study. Arcturus Station Later, he arrives at Arcturus Station to exchange prisoners with General Williams. He says he is sorry for not properly introducing himself back on Shanxi but since Williams' people were fleeing at the time, Desolas says that he assumed Williams was busy. Williams shoots back to remind Desolas that they did take the planet back, and then comments on Desolas' large escort. Desolas reminds Williams that he doesn't know everything about turians and if the Citadel Council hadn't intervened, then he would never get the chance to find out. Williams counters by saying that the cease-fire wasn’t his idea, but he they want to fight it out, he would be happy to oblige. Then he asks for his people back Upon releasing Eva and Harper, Desolas is promptly tackled by Eva and is knocked to the ground. Saren pulls Eva off him, where Desolas reminds Saren to be gentle with humans. Saren mentions that he had to do something as his bodyguards were useless. Desolas counters by saying they have their uses, but you have to know how to talk to them and turns his attention to his bodyguards. He speaks to them in an unknown language, and Harper overhears and appears to understand. Desolas notices this, but turns his attention to Williams. Desolas mentions that under the treaty protocol he says that it is only right that he should take the prisoners back until a higher authority can rule on the matter. Williams counters by saying that Desolas has had them long enough and to get off the station. Before he leaves however, he asks to scan Jack one more time, but is denied by Alliance officials. Palaven After Harper and Eva track Desolas and the artifact to Illium and attempt to get to the bottom of the mess, Saren ambushes the two with his bodyguards, which now includes their former companion Ben Hilsop, and manages to take the prisoner. After the two have been recovered, Desolas again straps Harper into an interrogation chair and despite Harper telling his captors that he show them what a human is made of if they let him go, Desolas says that they already know everything they need to by studying the corpses on Shanxi. He says that he's now interested in Jack. Jack then says that since Desolas is only interested in him, that Desolas should let Eva go, but Desolas says no because she is needed as a baseline for him to understand what is different about Harper as he is different now. He then points to Ben as another comparison as he is also quite different, but yet not the same as Jack, and so he is curious. Eva then cuts in by saying that Ben is only the way he is because of what Desolas did to him. However, Desolas counters by telling Ben to speak for himself, while he still can. After Ben finishes his story, Eva asks whether Ben has been resurrected, and Desolas answers by saying that she isn't far off. He tells them that the same thing happened to their first researchers on Shanxi and that they refused to abandon the artifact, or Ben as he is now one of them and serves Desolas now. He then tells Eva and Ben to prepare themselves as they are about to be the first humans to be on Palaven, the turian homeworld. Upon landing, Desolas gives a speech to the crowd, considering he is the first to do so. He says that no true turian would admit there isn't a foe that they can't beat, and he won't admit to that. However he does say that all of the lives lost in the brief war with humanity were not in vain. He then brings out his bodyguards disguised as Valluvian Priests from old turian legend. He states that for centuries no one has been worthy enough to wear the cloak and cowl of the order, and that no one has entered Temple Palaven in that time. As they walk down the steps from the landing pad, he says that he will change all of that. Desolas continues by saying that these turians have returned from the war with honor, and that their faith and their fighting spirit has transformed them. He states that they chose him to help them on their mission, their "Holy Quest", which was to return to Palaven, reopen the Temple, and to share the wisdom of the ages with the turian people. He finishes his speech by saying that now, while he led them into war, will promote peace and join the priests in the temple where in the past, they will find a great future for the turian people. Temple Palaven Later at the temple, he is ambushed by his brother, who says that his servants aren't listening to him. Saren goes on to say that while they were willing to appear with Desolas, and wear the cloaks, they won't go another kilometer. Desolas tries to calm Saren by saying that he has already explained the situation to them and then turns to one of his servants. After a quick conversation, he stays that the crowds won't be a problem and then tells them that they will move the artifact after the sun goes down, once the colonnade has been cleared. Saren states that he still doesn't like it as they don't serve them, rather they only care about the Monolith. Desolas then says that is why he is going through all the trouble he is, to integrate himself, make them see him as the Protector of the Monolith by giving it a place of respect, and a place where he can figure out how to control them. Later that night when they are moving the artifact. Desolas overhears a conversation between Harper, Eva, and Ben where Ben tells Harper that he can tell Jack is in contact with the artifact, just like him. Harper says that he is and that is what Desolas has been waiting for, he then orders his servants to bring Harper to him. Sometime later at the temple while his servants are lifting the artifact into the air, Desolas is watching Harper when he quotes Clarke's Third Law. Desolas then quotes it exactly back to Harper saying that they are just words from an earthly scientist who was also a mythmaker, as all scientists are. He then tells Harper that he now has an evolutionary accelerator. He then goes on to say that for too long there has been a parity between the various races of the Citadel. When any "upstart race" can enter the galaxy as equals, then it’s time to change the equation by bringing myths to life. Harper warns Desolas that he doesn't know what he's dealing with, but Desolas dismisses him by saying that Harper does. He then says that he's been preparing this place as it was once a place where turians would talk to their deities, he will make it so again. In a backroom lab, Desolas explains the setup to Harper and how him the scanning devices that he had installed around the Temple's rotunda, where he has the artifact stored, to help them understand the device. Harper points out a flaw in that it is only a surface scan and asks why he doesn’t bring it into the lab for study. Desolas answers by saying that his friends wouldn't allow that and attempts to pry it from them have only resulted in more transformations. So the Valluvian Priests are fine for the masses, to keep up the cover, but does him little good. As they can tell him nothing about the artifact. He then turns to Harper and says that he can. Desolas realized aboard Arcturus Station that he could hear the artifact and that it has changed him. He then continues by saying that he moved it to Illium to see if he would follow. He explains to Harper that there appears to be a psychic bond between him and the artifact and in his conversation with Ben, Harper confirmed it. Desolas wants to know why that despite Harper coming into contact with the artifact, he still have his identity and outlook as he wants his turians to do the same. He tells Jack that he must speak to it and find out how, because while science he understands, he realized that you can only answer magic in its own language. Harper then tells Desolas again that he doesn’t know what he is dealing with and that there is more to the Monolith than just an evolutionary jump-start and that it’s dangerous. Desolas dismisses Harper by saying that is exactly what he expected from a racial partisan who is standing in his way and comments that maybe Eva will be more reasonable. Harper counters by saying that Eva is tough, committed, doesn’t know anything, and won’t crack, and neither will he. Harper then pleads with Desolas that as a man of science, that with a lack of results, he should stop the experiment. Desolas however doesn’t and then orders Harper into a cell. However while Desolas have maybe hoped to learn something, all Harper does is sit there, staring. Just as Harper figures something out, Desolas appears at his door, dressed as a priest, and with two armed guards telling Harper that this is it. He has found out what he needs to without Jack’s help and then orders the guards to bring him along. While walking Jack asks what he is talking about and Desolas explains that while his scientists can’t find the mechanism that links the “priests” to the Monolith, they do know enough about it to say that they are, and that the bond is strong, and transcendental. He continues by saying that they will do anything to protect it and if others are brought to it, then they will do anything for him as well. Harper cuts in by saying that he has figured out the truth about the Monolith, but Desolas dismisses it by telling Jack that the time for the truth is in the past, and for him to behold the future. A legion of turians in peak physical condition that never rest, and will never yield. Desolas states that the time for equality among the races of the Citadel is in the past and that destiny is at hand and tonight it begins. Category:Turians Category:Characters Category:Evolution